Electric torch with auxiliary outlet



1955 H. G. CARPENTER 2,727,981

ELECTRIC TORCH WITH AUXILIARY OUTLET Filed March 4, 1952 1 INVENTOR. 1 BATTERY A? a (fliPZfl YZZZ 9 fiww United States Patent ELECTRIC TORCH WITH AUXILIARY OUTLET Harold G. Carpenter, New York, N. Y. Application March 4, 1952, Serial No. 274,751 1 Claim. (Cl. 24010.6)

This invention relates to electric torches, and the main object is the provision of a practical, efiicient and inexpensive combination electric torch and a self-contained electric outlet integral therewith so that an electric plug may be inserted into the outlet thereby to make available as an auxiliary source or an emergency source of electric power. The possible applications of the invention are too numerous and obvious to require elucidation.

The applicant is aware that the broad combination of an electric torch with an auxiliary plug-in outlet is old in the art, but the present invention aims to provide novel, practical as well as new and useful improvements in the construction of the combination whereby the overall utility and durability of the device are substantially enhanced.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following description Wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood that the drawing is intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention to any or all parts or details of construction shown or described except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination electric torch and auxiliary outlet embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar but fragmentary perspective View with the shell or housing omitted in order to expose the interior.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates the cylindrical or hollow body or shell of the torch, the numeral 11 indicates the removable head enclosing the light bulb 13, and the numeral 12 indicates the removable tail cap.

The casing 10, 11, 12 may of course be made of any desired material; if a metallic shell is used, then of course suitable insulation would be used where required. In the structure illustrated in the drawing, all of the parts 10, 11 and 12 are assumed to be made of an insulating or socalled plastic material.

Near the tail end of the casing, a suitable radial projection in the form of a female connector member or outlet 14 is provided, either formed integral with the casing, as shown, or otherwise secured in place, with, of course, a suitable opening or openings such as shown at 15, if required or desired, communicating between the interior of the shell 10 and the interior of the outlet housing 14. A male connector plug, as shown at 16 in Fig. 3, is adapted to be inserted into the outlet 14 to provide electric current, in the manner described below, in an electric cord 17 leading to whatever electric appliance is to be energized.

A strip 18 of suitable conducting material such as, for

example, brass, possessing some resiliency, is secured in longitudinal position at one or more points 19, as by rivets, against the inner surface of the shell 10. The forward end of the strip 18 is bent inward, as shown at 20, so that its enlarged extremity 21 is positioned on the axis of the shell and just in front of the adjacent dry cell 22, one or more of such cells being contained within the shell.

Adjacent the strip 18 a second longitudinal strip 23 is secured in like fashion inside the shell, and in alignment therewith a shorter strip 24 is likewise secured to the shell. The gap between the strips 24 and 23 is adapted to be closed by the usual slide switch 25, in the usual manner. The forward extremity of the strip 20, shown at 26, is bent inward at an acute angle.

The light bulb assembly comprises the reflector 27 having the light bulb 13 mounted therein. The reflector is provided, on the rear thereof, with two diametrically opposed contact wings 28, formed integrally with or otherwise attached to the reflector. in assembling the light bulb and reflector in the torch, the reflector is so positioned that either of the wings 28 will lie in contact with the contact extremity 26 of the strip 24.

The strip 23 extends rearward to the rear end of the shell 10 and is provided with a short inturned flange 29. In conformity with standard practice, the tail cap 12 has a metallic spiral spring 39 with the base of the same, which is secured against the base of the cap, composed of at least one circular loop 31. When the cap 12 is screwed home on the shell 10, therefore, the flange 29 is bound to contact the spring 30 at one point in the circle of the spring base 31.

The internal contact fingers of the outlet 14 are shown at 32 and 33. The former is riveted or otherwise secured to the strip 18, the latter terminating, in the rearward di rection, either at or just beyond the point of attachment of the finger 32. The finger 33 is likewise secured to the strip 23.

It is not believed necessary to describe in detail the wiring diagram of Fig. 4, as it is believed apparent that the total dry cell voltage is at all times applied to the two outlet terminals of the outlet housing 14, and that the bulb 13 is energized upon closing the slide switch 25. Thus, power from the dry cells is at all times available to a circuit plugged into the outlet 14.

Obviously, modifications in form or structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

An electric torch comprising a tubular shell having one or more dry cells mounted therein in series with each other, a reflector having a bulb socket therein positioned in the shell forward of the adjacent cell and having a bulb in the socket in alignment with the adjacent terminal of said cell and two diametrically opposed contact wings extending from the rear of the said reflector, a head cap on said shell urging said bulb into contact with said adjacent terminal, a tail cap on the other end of said shell having a coiled spring protruding from the base thereof adapted to contact the adjacent end of the adjacent cell, a pair of spaced longitudinal conducting strips mounted on the inside of the shell, one of said strips having a break therein and having a slide switch interposed therein adapted to bridge said break, said one of said strips having contact means on the rear end thereof contacting said spring, the forward end of said one of said strips having an inwardly bent extremity contacting one of said contact Wings of said reflector, the forward end of the other of said strips having an inwardly extending extension interposed between said bulb and said adjacent terminal and in contact with said bulb and said adjacent terminal, an auxiliary outlet housing on and extending radially from said shell positioned between said switch and the rear end of -the shell and having -t-wo spaced metallic contact fingers therein, one of said fingers being secured and in electric contact with each of said strips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Simpson June 16, 1925 

